Cross-head and cross-head guide.



No. 812,745. PATENTED FER-13, 190s.

J. E. HOOLBY.

GROSS HEAD AND GROSS HEAD GUIDE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

CROSS-HEAD AND CROSS-HEAD GUIDE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed April 3, 1905. Serial No. 253,527.

Improvements in Cross-Heads and Cross- Head Guides, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in cross-heads and cross-head slides for steamengines particularly adapted for use in connection with locomotives, though it may be used in connection with stationary or marine engines, if desired.

The object of the invention is the provision of supporting-guideways for locomotive cross-heads so arranged as to reduce friction and consequent heating of the parts to a minimum and to make said guideways and cross-heads of such shape that perfect alinement of the parts with relation to each other will be maintained even after the parts have become worn by long and continuous use.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a steam-engine cylinder, cross-heads, and cross-head guideways constructed in accordance with my invention, said cylinder being broken away to disclose the piston therein. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through one end of the cylinder and the associated cross head and guides therefor. Fig. 3 is transverse vertical section taken on line 8 3 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow, and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section taken upon the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Like numerals designate similar parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In the drawings the numeral 5 designates a steam-engine cylinder to which steam is supplied through a steam-chest 6 to reciprocate piston 7 and piston-rod 8 in the well-known manner. Piston-rod 8 passes through both ends of cylinder 5 and has secured thereto cross-heads 9 and 10, slidably mounted upon a plurality of guide members, hereinafter described. As will be seen by referring to Fig. 1

of the drawings, one of said cross-heads is located at one end of the cylinder and the other of said cross-heads is located at the opposite end of said cylinder.

The guide members comprise rods 11 12 and 13 and 14. These rods are substantially of diamond shape in cross-section, and the cross-heads 9 and 10 have correspondinglyshaped openings 15 and 16 formed therein through which said rods pass. All the guide members are secured in place between the cylinder-heads 5 5 and supporting-plates 17 and 18, said cylinder and supporting-plates being secured to an angle-frame in any desired manner.

19 is the connecting-rod pivoted between ears 20 on cross-heads 9 and passing through and working in an aperture 21 in plate 17.

Because of the high rate of speed at which locomotive cross-heads are reciprocated the friction and consequent heating of the parts is necessarily great. The present invention aims to reduce this heating by distributing the load upon a plurality of supporting and. guiding members, so that no single guide member will attain as high a degree of heat as would be the case if the load were borne by a single guideway. Means for lubricating rods 11, 12, and 13 are provided by oil-cups 19, and as cylinder-heads 5 5 and supporting-plates 17 and 18 form closures for the ends of guideways 14 lubricant introduced into said guideways will be retained therein for a considerable period.

Referring particularly to Fig. 3, it will be apparent that by exposing the inclined faces of rods 11, 12, and 13, and 14 to the wearing action of the cross-heads the alinement of the said cross-heads and guide members is pre served by said wearing action, for as the working faces of the parts become worn by the use they will fit each other more snugly.

It has been found that where square guiderods have been used they were worn out very rapidly, for one surface of the rod was required to bear all the load carried by said rod and where round guide-rods have been used the upper surfaces of said rods have become flattened by continuous usage. By making the guide rods and ways as herein shown and described two working faces are presented to the action of the cross-heads. This preserves the life of the guide members, with a material reduction in the expenditure for repairs as a consequence.

It is to be understood that While the pro- VlSlOIl of a cross-head and cross-head slides at the front end of the cylinder materially increases the rigidity of the engine as a whole, my invention is not confined to this duplicat1on of parts, for, if desired, this secondary cross-head may be omitted and other changes in the minor details of the device may be reiorted to without departure from the invenion.

It will'be observed that each set of rods 11, 12, 13 and 14, in addition to being themselves diamond shaped, form a diamond shaped guide-frame for the cooperating cross-head, which latter is formed with four radial arms 22, respectively engaging and guided by said rods. A guide -frame and a cross-head of maximum strength and rigidity are thus provided.

In order to prevent freezing or congealing of the lubricant in the cups 19 in cold weather, I provide means for supplying steam thereto from the chest 6, communicating with the chest in a Y connection 23, from which extend flexible main tubes orpipes 24 and 25, leading to the respective cross-heads 9 and 10, and with each of these tubes communicates auxiliary tubes 26, communicating with the cups on the adjacent cross-head. A small amount of steam is supplied to the cup through these tubes to keep the lubricant warm. The flexibility of the tubes 24 and 25 permits them to accommodatethemselves to the action of the cross-heads Without interfering with the feed of steam to the cups.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is a 1. In a steam-engine, the combination with a reciprocatory cross-head, of a plurality of diamond-shaped guide-rods mounted in 0pposite pairs, upon which said cross-head is slidably mounted, the cross head having openings conforming to the guide-rod for passage of said guide-rods.

2. In a steamengine, the combination with a reciprocatory cross-head, of a plurality of diamond-shaped uide-rods mounted in opposite pairs and orming a diamond-shaped frame, said cross-head having arms slidably mounted upon said guide-rods.

3. In a steam-engine, the combination with a steam-cylinder, a piston-rod actuated by a piston within said cylinder and passing through both ends of the cylinder, a diamondshaped guide-frame at either end of the cylinder, said frames comprising a supportingplate connected to the cylinder-head by a Pinrality of diamond-shaped bars oppositely disposed, a four-armed 1 cross-head secured to either end of the piston-rod, and adapted to reciprocate upon the said bars.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES E. HOOLEY. Witnesses:

THOMAS J. CROWLEY, G. W. NoRRIs. 

